Friday, April 15, 2011

Spraying Multiflora Rose Sprouts

Multiflora Rose is actively growing and the sprouts resulting from my winter clearing operations have reached the point where they can be successfully sprayed with glyphosate herbicide. The frequent rains and windy days have made it difficult to find a suitable time for spraying, but a recent break in the action gave me some perfect conditions.

This whole area was full of roses and there were just too many to mark individually. To help organize my search for sprouts, I placed a couple rows of blue flags to act as guides. This increases the chances that I will not miss any rose sprouts as I spray. Regrowth of cut shrubs occurs at different rates, so I’ll be back in here in a couple of weeks to catch the later sprouts.

This is a typical stump with resulting sprouts. Occasionally you’ll find a horizontally growing cane that missed being cut by the mower. I carry hand pruners with me to cut back these errant canes prior to spraying.

Many of the sprouts occur with a red or deep burgundy color. Rose rosette disease causes new growth to display a red color, but I’m sure that weather and other factors also play a part in determining color.

I always enjoy seeing what native plants show themselves after I’ve cleared the non-natives out of the way. This patch of May-apples used to be completely hidden by the roses.

Several Adder’s Tongue Ferns were coming up through the mulch of rose canes. This wasn’t a very comfortable place to kneel down for a photo.

Spotted Touch-me-not seedlings were scattered over a large portion of the area. There were always a few of these interesting plants growing along the edges of the rose patch, but they never occurred in large numbers. They should make quite a display later in the year.

Falcate Orange-tip butterflies were in the clearing visiting a few blooming Spring Beauties. I was concentrating on the butterfly as I took this shot and it was only later that I noticed the Multiflora Rose seedling showing in the lower right corner. I can almost imagine that the seedling intentionally jumped into the picture as a reminder that the battle is not yet over.

I lived in Niles, Ohio from 1964-1975, and I remember seeing patches of them in the woods, but I haven't seen any in Georgia, since I moved here. I think Augusta, Georgia is a bit south of their range.

ABOUT BLUE JAY BARRENS

Located in the Bluegrass region of Southern Ohio, Blue Jay Barrens contains excellent xeric habitat inhabited by a wide variety of rare native plant and animal species. Since 1985, this private property has been managed to improve the integrity of the special ecosystems found here. This blog provides information on the current activities at Blue Jay Barrens.

RESPONSE TO COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BLOG

It’s my intent to share information on current events at Blue Jay Barrens. Unless otherwise noted in the text, all photos were taken by me at Blue Jay Barrens.

Plant scientific names are from Gleason and Cronquist 1991. I realize that some changes in preferred nomenclature have occurred, but this is the principle reference I have been using for flora identification. Knowing this, I believe most people can figure out just what plant I’m talking about.

My discussions of flora and fauna are not intended to be a complete life history. There are plenty of good references for this type of information. I am discussing my personal experiences with plants and animals on this specific property. Any other information I may provide is intended to help you understand the significance of my observations.

MY 3 FAVORITE NATURE BOOKS:

1- Of Mosquitoes, Moths and Mice, by C Brooke Worth.2- Mosquito Safari: A Naturalist in Southern Africa, by C Brooke Worth.3- A Naturalist in Trinidad, by C Brooke Worth.

MY 3 FAVORITE FICTION BOOKS:

1- The Witches of Karres by James H Schmitz2- The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham3- The Windhover Tapes (1st 3 volumes) by Warren Norwood

MY 3 FAVORITE MOVIES:

1- Vanishing Point 1971 with Barry Newman2- Flim Flam Man 1967 with George C Scott - also like the book by Guy Owens3- The Lathe Of Heaven 1979 with Bruce Davison - also like the book by Ursula K LeGuin

MY 3 FAVORITE TV SHOWS:

1- The Prisoner with Patrick McGoohan2- Fawlty Towers with John Cleese3- Kolchak: The Night Stalker with Darren McGavin